Polymer Composites Journal (JOPC): Scope, Web of Science Indexing and How to Publish in 2026

Composite materials are replacing metals in aerospace, automotive, marine and civil structures faster than most researchers can publish about them. If your work sits in fiber-reinforced polymers, nanocomposites or bio-based composites, where you publish decides who reads it.

The Journal of Polymer & Composites (JOPC) is a Web of Science indexed, peer-reviewed polymer composites journal published since 2013 by STM Journals. It serves the fields of reinforced plastics and polymer composites, covering research, production, processing and applications.

This guide explains what this polymer composites journal publishes, where it is indexed, how fast it moves, and exactly how to submit.

What Is the Journal of Polymer & Composites?

JOPC is a hybrid open-access journal in Chemical Engineering that brings developments in polymer composites into print well before they become commercial realities. You can browse current and archived issues on the JOPC journal page.

Both print and electronic ISSNs are registered, and every article carries a DOI, so your work stays permanently citable.

JOPC in Numbers

Most journals talk about speed. This polymer composites journal publishes the actual figures.

An average acceptance time of 44 days and a publication time of 40 days means a manuscript submitted today can realistically be published within three months. For a doctoral candidate facing a thesis deadline or a team reporting against a funded project milestone, that timeline is the difference between a paper that counts and one that arrives too late. stmjournals

The 2024 output of 1,437 articles also tells you something important: this is an active journal with a working editorial pipeline, not a title that publishes twice a year and struggles to fill issues.

Indexing: Why Web of Science Matters

Indexing decides whether your paper is discoverable and whether it counts for your institution’s evaluation. JOPC is indexed in Web of Science, Citefactor, Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS), Scientific Literature (SCILIT) and Google Scholar. stmjournals

Two of these carry particular weight for composites researchers:

Web of Science. Clarivate’s evaluation is among the most demanding in academic publishing. Many university promotion committees and funding bodies count only Web of Science indexed publications. For a polymer composites journal, this is the single most valuable indexing credential.

Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS). CAS is the reference database for chemistry and materials. If your paper involves a new polymer formulation, filler system or curing chemistry, CAS coverage means chemists searching by substance will find your work.

Index Copernicus Value

JOPC’s ICV rose from 68.37 in 2022 to 115.22 in 2024 — a substantial improvement that reflects the journal’s strengthened editorial process and publication record. You can verify this on Index Copernicus. stmjournals

SJIF Impact Factor

Research Areas Covered by JOPC

The full JOPC Focus and Scope lists accepted topics. In practice, the polymer composites journal publishes heavily in these areas.

Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) Composites

FRP work dominates recent issues: glass, carbon and hybrid fiber systems for aerospace, automotive, marine and structural applications. Studies on tensile strength, delamination, interfacial bonding and progressive damage all fit here.

Natural Fiber and Bio-Composites

Sisal, banana, coir and other natural fibers in polymer matrices are a growing focus, driven by the shift toward lower-impact alternatives to synthetic fiber systems. Work on PLA and other bio-based matrices belongs in this category.

Polymer Nanocomposites

Nano-sized fillers in polymer matrices to improve mechanical, thermal, electrical and barrier properties. This covers filler dispersion, interface engineering and property characterisation.

Composite Processing and Manufacturing

The journal publishes on fused deposition modeling, compression moulding, resin infusion and other processing routes, including how process parameters map onto final properties.

Geopolymers and Inorganic Composites

Alkali-activated fly ash, metakaolin and related low-carbon binder systems appear regularly, reflecting the field’s push toward sustainable construction materials.

AI and Machine Learning in Composites

Machine learning for property prediction, damage detection and design optimisation is one of the fastest-growing sections of this polymer composites journal — from finite element hybrids to IoT-enabled structural health monitoring.

Recent Research Published in JOPC

The clearest way to judge a polymer composites journal is to read what it actually publishes. These are recent ahead-of-print articles.

Hybrid Machine Learning and Finite Element Framework for Predicting Damage Behavior in Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites
FRP composites are used widely in aerospace, automotive, marine and structural applications because of their high specific strength, stiffness and corrosion resistance — but predicting how they fail remains difficult. This study combines machine learning with finite element analysis to model progressive damage, delamination and failure in composite structures.

IoT-Enabled Predictive Intelligence for Real-Time Failure and Damage Evolution Monitoring of Polymer Composites
Damage in carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer composites occurs as a mix of matrix cracking, interfacial debonding, delamination and fibre fracture, which makes assessment hard. The authors build a causal CNN–GRU attention model on acoustic-emission data to estimate damage evolution and remaining life, reporting a damage-estimation R² of 0.946 and a failure-prediction AUROC of 0.967, with real-time replay latency of 28.6 ms.

Mechanical Characterization of Untreated Banana Fiber Reinforced PLA Bio-Composites Manufactured by 3D Printing
This work develops FDM filaments from polylactic acid reinforced with untreated banana fibers and characterises the mechanical result using a Taguchi design. It is a good example of the bio-composites and additive manufacturing work the journal favours.

Microstructural Evolution and Mechanical Performance of Ambient-Cured Fly Ash–Metakaolin Inorganic Polymer Composites
Inorganic geopolymer networks offer a low-carbon alternative to traditional binders through alkali activation of aluminosilicate materials. The study examines microstructure and mechanical properties under ambient curing with anhydrous sodium silicate powder.

Together these show a journal that spans experimental characterisation, sustainable materials and computational methods — and publishes all three at a steady pace.

How JOPC Compares to Other Composites Journals

The trade-off is straightforward. A long-established composites title from a major commercial publisher carries higher citation volume, but a first decision can take six months and publication another four. This polymer composites journal offers Web of Science indexing with a roughly three-month total turnaround, and a hybrid model that does not force an APC on authors without funding.

Who Should Submit to JOPC

• PhD scholars in materials, mechanical or chemical engineering who need a Web of Science indexed publication within a defined timeline
• Faculty publishing experimental characterisation of new fiber, filler or matrix systems
• Researchers working on natural fiber and bio-based composites
• Teams applying machine learning or IoT methods to composite damage and property prediction
• Industry R&D engineers reporting processing and manufacturing results

Peer Review and Editorial Standards

JOPC is a refereed journal: every manuscript is reviewed by subject experts before a decision. The editorial board is led by Dr. Susarla Venkata Ananta Rama Sastry, Associate Dean at Harcourt Butler Technical University, Uttar Pradesh, and includes practicing researchers from institutions worldwide. stmjournals

The full review policy is published on the journal’s peer review policy page.

How to Submit to JOPC

1. Check Scope and Guidelines

Confirm your topic fits the Focus and Scope, then format your manuscript per the JOPC Author Guidelines and Instructions for Authors.

2. Submit Online

Upload your manuscript, abstract, keywords and supplementary files through the manuscript submission portal. The portal provides status tracking and direct contact with the editorial office.

3. Peer Review

Expect a decision in roughly 44 days on average. If reviewers request revisions, return your manuscript with a point-by-point response to each comment.

4. Publication

Accepted papers move to ahead-of-print quickly, with full publication averaging 40 days after acceptance, and a DOI assigned so your work can be cited immediately.

Article Processing Charges

As a hybrid open-access polymer composites journal, JOPC charges an APC for open-access publication. Current fees are on the Article Processing Charges page, and waivers or discounts may be available.

Pre-Submission Checklist for Authors

1. Scope match confirmed. Your work involves polymers, composites or reinforced plastics — not general materials science with no polymer component.
2. Novelty stated clearly. Name the specific contribution in the abstract: a new filler system, a process improvement, a quantified property gain.
3. Materials fully specified. Polymer grade, supplier, filler type and loading, curing schedule. A composites paper without this cannot be reproduced.
4. Testing standards cited. ASTM or ISO designation for every mechanical test, plus specimen count and conditioning.
5. Statistics reported. Mean and standard deviation across a stated number of specimens, not a single value.
6. Micrographs included where relevant. SEM of fracture surfaces or filler dispersion, with scale bars.
7. Figures legible. 300 dpi minimum, labelled axes with units, standalone captions.
8. References current and consistent. Include recent composites literature; verify every DOI resolves.
9. Plagiarism checked, including self-plagiarism from your own earlier papers.
10. Copyright agreement and APC understood before acceptance, not after.

Common Reasons Composites Manuscripts Are Rejected

Incomplete material specification. The most common cause in this field. If a reader cannot reproduce your composite from the methods section, reviewers will not recommend acceptance.

No comparison baseline. Reporting tensile strength for your hybrid composite without the neat polymer or single-fiber control tells reviewers nothing about the improvement.

Insufficient specimens. Three specimens per condition is the practical minimum. Single-specimen results are not publishable.

Missing failure analysis. A mechanical property table without fractography leaves the mechanism unexplained.

Unvalidated simulation. FEA or ML models not calibrated against experimental data are treated as unverified. State your software, element type, material model and validation case.

Out of scope. Work on pure metals, ceramics without a polymer phase, or general chemical processes does not belong in a polymer composites journal.

Similarity index too high. Reused experimental method paragraphs from your own prior papers still count.

Frequently Asked Questions

Review the author guidelines, work through the checklist above, and submit your manuscript today.